Here are some interesting thoughts about HP out of 125cc.Most 125cc street motorcycles are at least 15hp. Those exciting and noisy MX dirt bikes manage to sqeeze out 42hp when all the factory performance bits are bolted on.

MERCMAN, I'm already concerned that the stock output of the Victa is effectively pushing the weight of the motor, the boat, its contents and any displaced water through the 3/16" machine screws holding the gearbox front cover in place. Might find the limits of two threads tapped into an alloy casting if we went anywhere near 10 HP let alone 42....The image of a Victa 125 mounted in a moto-cross bike in my mind is amusing though.

CI, Were you dollying rivets?? Where does the 'dolly' come into it? Speaking of clinker hulls, something I've always pondered, how do you seal up the planks, string, pitch, ??(timber not glass obviousl...der)

G'Day allHave just jumped onboard after finding The Board in search of info regarding an outboard I was given 'to look after and restore'. Has been sitting in the container for a number of years and as other 'projects' have been started and finished, it was time for an outboard project. Time for an admission - I am more of a 'petrolhead' ie cars than a 'boatie' so I am feeling my way as I go. The outboard I was given is a Mermaid. It has the flat top pulley and the barrel and head is an integral steel unit. It has a two blade prop. The fuel tank showed signs of light blue, I presume this to be original being where it was under the cowl. There are two (rusty) hold down clips on the cowl. Currently it is in pieces and I am cleaning up each component in the grit blaster. Quite a few broken cooling fins on the 'head' part of the barrel. Piston and rings look okay although I noted a broken strip of thin metal in the top ring groove under the top ring - more research required on that one. Stripped and cleaned the magneto - this is a Wico unit, spec number FW 1479 and a serial number to be what looks like 955112. Would the serial number be indicative of a date perhaps Is there any firm dates as to when the Mermaid was in production Both primary and secondary windings tested good so that is a plus. Points look like they are brand new !! Couple of requests - any chance of a close up pic of the clips holding the cowl on (on the pic Mermaid silver jpg by C.I.), and (here's my boatie ignorance) where is the cavitation plate (re I found the remains of a serial number on the top side of the cavitation plate).Hope this wasn't too long winded. Look forward to any reply/s. Will have to organise some picsCheers MM

Welcome to the board MM.The members you are seeking have not been very active recently. I'd send them a personal message through the board and rev them up if I was you. The cavatation plate is the flat horizontal plate above the prop which stops the prop sucking air. Looking forward to pics and we hope we can keep YOU revved up.Chairman

G'Day AllFull recovery made after a pretty big weekend - back into it.Split the crankcase today and removed bearings and seals. Large (6204) bearings readily available but supplier couldn't match the smaller one. Trip into town tomorrow with samples in hand and see what happens. Opened the gearbox as well and removed 'crown wheel' after driving out the retainer pin holding the collar to the output shaft. Pretty simple set up although I wonder about the output shaft seal availability. Serial number on the cavitation plate is 'OB1298'. Serial number on the 'Hurricane' crankcase is 'JLY35'. Perhaps the 35th build for the month of July in which year I would guess to be around 1955 -56, same era as the 4th Victa Model 1 Rotomo. Info gleaned from the Vintage Mowers site ( http://www.vintagemowers.net/mower_victa.php ).Does anyone have a paint code for the 'Mermaid Blue' or is it a matter of matching the colour by eye - in my case from photographs.

Short shaft (Small prop and slim gearbox) were all light blue hammertone for tank, tank underparts and transom clamp. The rest was as cast.

Long shaft with 140cc Hurricane powerhead was silver hammertone for tank. Tank underparts were silver hammer. Transom clamp was light blue Hammer and the rest was actually hand polished. Long shaft is really large and you would know as it looks really way out there.